Stencil duplicator with master making and pneumatic handling features

ABSTRACT

An improved reproduction system for making duplicates from an original having a printing cylinder provided with a clamp for selectively receiving, holding or ejecting a master, a take-up assembly adapted to cooperate with an eject mode of cylinder clamp operation to receive a discharged master, an original and master material feeding assembly adapted to bring the original and master into registry and carry the sandwiched original and master material into an imaging assembly to make a duplicating master, a transfer assembly adapted to transfer the imaged master toward the cylinder clamp, and the latter operating in a receiving mode adapted to draw the master to the printing cylinder, and to hold the imaged master during a print mode of cylinder operation in which reproductions are made. The system has controls for programming the machine through respective preparation, function and print cycles.

Unite States Patent 91 Borneman STENCIL DUPLICATOR WITH MASTER MAKING AND PNEUMATIC HANDLING FEATURES [75] Inventor: Lawrence A. Borneman, bombard,

[73] Assignee: A.B. Dick Company, Chicago, 111.

[22] Filed: Dec. 15, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 98,260

[52] US. Cl 101/116, 101/132, 101/l4l, 271/74 [51] Int. Cl B411 13/06 [58] Field of Search..... 101/116, 127, 128.2, 128.4, 101/382 MV, 378, 129, 114, 132.5, 132, 141, 417, 419, 142; 269/21; 93/62; 271/74,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,895,080 l/l933 MacArthur... l0l/232 X 1,968,941 8/1934 Hall et a1. 271/74 2,220,255 11/1940 Marchev et al.. 101/145 2,365,913 12/1944 Stenfors 197/18 2,865,487 12/1958 I-Iildebrandlz.v 197/20 2,969,869 l/1961 Klingler 271/74 X 2,995,231 8/1961 Von Kummer et al. 197/20 3,682,095 8/1972 Kaminstein et a1 101/141 X 3,426,678 '2/1969 Carper et a1 l0l/l32.5 3,643,555 2/1972 Ehischeid 93/62 2,923,235 2/1960 Voegelin 101/382 MV 2,235,778 3/1941 Samuels l0l/l16 3,457,857 7/1969 Burger 101/232 X Jan. 29, 1974 Primary Examiner-Robert E. Pulfrey Assistant ExaminerR. E. Suter [5 7] ABSTRACT An improved reproduction system for making duplicates from an original having a printing cylinder provided with a clamp for selectively receiving, holding or ejecting a master, a take-up assembly adapted to cooperate with an eject mode of cylinder clamp operation to receive a discharged master, an original and master material feeding assembly adapted to bring the original and master into registry and carry the sandwiched original and master material into an imaging assembly to make a duplicating master, a transfer as sembly adapted to transfer the imaged master toward the cylinder clamp, and the latter operating in a receiving mode adapted to draw the master to the printing cylinder, and to hold the imaged master during a print mode of cylinder operation in which reproductions are made. The system has controls for programming the machine through respective preparation, function and print cycles.

17 Claims, 44 Drawing Figures PAIENIED 3.788.221

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1. In a reproduction system having an ejected master take-up assembly, an original transport assembly, a master web transport assembly, and master web cutting assembly, original and unimaged master sandwich transport and thermal imaging assembly, a master transferring and original and master separating assembly, a mimeograph cylinder selectively operable in eject, thermal imaging and print modes and having a selectively operable clamp normally operative to grasp the master, means for controlling relative movement between the transferring and separating assembly and the cylinder, a selectively operable stop for controlling relative movement between the separating and transferring assembly and the cylinder clamp and a paper feed assembly, comprising in combination a preparation cycle control means including means for effecting eject mode operation of the cylinder; means for effecting master take-up operation of the ejected master take-up assembly; and means for effecting master disengagement operation of the master clamp; and a function cycle control means including means for effecting operation of the original transport assembly for a predetermined period of time; means for effecting operation of the master web transport assembly for a predetermined period of time; means for effecting operation of the thermal imaging assembly for a predetermined period of time; means for effecting operation of the means for controlling relative movement between the separating and transferring assembly and the cylinder; means for effecting engagement of the selectively operable stop to prevent relative movement between the cylinder clamp and the separating and transferring assembly for a predetermined period of time and then releasing the stop; means for effecting operation of the separating and transferring assembly to transfer the master to the cylinder clamp and to separate the original from the master; means for effecting operation of the master web cutting assembly; means for effecting print mode operation of the cylinder; and means for effecting operation of the paper feed assembly.
 2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said function cycle control means is a master cam provided with a set of electrically responsive switches.
 3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said means for effecting operation of the separating and transferring assembly to separate the original from the master includes a solenoid operated single revolution clutch.
 4. In a reproduction system using a sheet having a lead end as a master to make reproductions, the combination comprising a frame; sheet transfer means having a surface for carrying the sheet; a printing form spaced apart from said sheet transfer means; clamp means on said printing form for drawing the lead end of the sheet against said printing form and holding the sheet while reproductions are made; mounting means carried by said frame for supporting said sheet transfer means and said printing form for relative movement with respect to each other; a pneumatic source for providing a sheet attractive force; first valve means coupling said pneumatic source to said transfer means surface for applying an attractive force to the lead end of the sheet; second valve means coupling said pneumatic source to said clamp means for applying an attractive force to the lead end of the sheet brought into proximity with said clamp means; movement controlling means coupled to said sheet transfer means and to said printing form for controlling Relative movement of said sheet transfer means and said printing form clamp means toward each other to bring the sheet end into proximity with said clamp means; first pneumatic control means coupled to said first valve means operative to prevent application of pneumatic force to the sheet lead end to release the lead end when it is brought into proximity with said clamp means; and second pneumatic control means for operating said second valve means.
 5. The combination of claim 4 including means hingedly mounting said clamp means operative to permit opening of said clamp means for inserting an ink pad and closing of said clamp means for mechanically holding said pad.
 6. The combination of claim 4 wherein the printing form is a cylinder mounted for relative rotation with respect to said sheet transfer means and said movement controlling means is operative to bring said clamp means and said sheet transfer means into proximate relationship in a predetermined sequence to position the sheet lead end within a grasping zone wherein said attractive force draws said sheet lead end to said clamp means.
 7. The combination of claim 6 wherein said movement controlling means includes a selectively operable stop for holding the cylinder with said clamp means ready to move; and means for releasing said stop when said sheet transfer means and said clamp means are brought into said predetermined proximate relationship so that subsequent movement of said cylinder positions the sheet lead end within said grasping zone to permit said clamp means to pick up the sheet end.
 8. The combination of claim 7 wherein said selectively operable stop includes a first cam member for defining a first camming surface; a cam follower riding on said first camming surface; and a selectively operable lever having a second camming surface for controlling engagement of said cam follower with said first camming surface, a portion of said first camming surface being shaped to provide a sufficient resistive force to relative movement of said cam follower over said first camming surface so that said cylinder is held in a positive stop position.
 9. The combination of claim 8 wherein said second camming surface is provided with a first camming portion operative to move said cam follower out of engagement with said first camming surface portion providing said resistive force to relative movement.
 10. The combination of claim 8 wherein said second camming surface is provided with a second camming portion operative to move said cam follower to a lock out position and prevent accidental engagement of said cam follower and said first camming surface.
 11. A sheet storing system for selectively receiving a sheet carried on a movable form, comprising in combination a pneumatic source operative to provide a sheet repelling force; means for selectively applying holding and repelling forces to said sheet carried by said form; valve means for coupling said pneumatic source to said means on the form; a web of captivating material selectively positionable adjacent to the form; means for transporting said captivating material from a supply roll to a wind-up roll; selectively operable driving means associated with said transporting means; said captivating web being trained along a predetermined path to form a take-up crotch at said wind-up roll adjacent the form; first control means responsive to said means on the form being moved into position adjacent said take-up crotch for operating said valve means to apply said sheet repelling force to said sheet, said sheet being blown into said take-up crotch; and second control means for actuating said web transporting means to draw the sheet into said crotch and sandwich the sheet between adjacent turns of said web on said take-up roll.
 12. The combination of claim 11 wherein the movable form is a printing form and the sheet carried thereon is a film stencil.
 13. The combination of claim 12 wherein said printing form is a cylinder carrying a soiled sheet and said web is blottEr paper for sandwiching the soiled sheet between layers of said blotter paper on said wind-up roll.
 14. In a reproduction system operative to make a selectable number of copies from an original using an imaged master sheet made of film material, the original and the unimaged master sheet each having a lead end, comprising in combination means for transporting the unimaged master sheet and the original with their respective lead ends in predetermined registry; means for imaging the master from the original; a pneumatic source for providing an attractive force; a printing form; sheet transfer means for transferring said imaged master sheet lead end to the printing form; means on said printing form for drawing the lead end of said imaged master sheet against the printing form and holding said imaged master sheet while reproductions are made; valve means coupling said pneumatic source to said means on said printing form for applying an attractive force to said imaged master lead end; movement controlling means coupled to said sheet transfer means and to said printing form for controlling relative movement of said sheet transfer means and said means on said printing form toward each other to bring the sheet end into proximity with said means on said printing form; means for feeding a reproduction sheet into contact with the imaged master on the printing form to make a selectable number of reproductions, a second pneumatic source for providing a blowing force, second valve means for coupling said second pneumatic source to said means on said printing form for providing a blowing force to repell said imaged master sheet from the printing form, and a web trained along a predetermined transport path in proximate relationship to the printing form for picking up the repelled master sheet, said web is paid out from a supply roll and wound on a take-up roll and said predetermined transport path includes a roller interposed between said take-up roll and said printing form about which said web is wrapped and against which said take-up roll is biased to locate said catching zone a predetermined distance from the printing form regardless of the diameter of the take-up roll.
 15. In a reproduction system operative to make a selectable number of copies from an original using an imaged master sheet made of film material, the original and the unimaged master sheet each having a lead end, comprising in combination means for transporting the unimaged master sheet and the original with their respective lead ends in predetermined registry; means for imaging the master from the original; pneumatic source for providing an attractive force; a cylinder mounted for rotation; sheet transfer means for transferring said imaged master sheet lead end to the printing form; clamp means on said cylinder for drawing the lead end of said imaged master sheet against the cylinder and holding said imaged master sheet while reproductions are made; valve means coupling said pneumatic source to said clamp on said cylinder for applying an attractive force to said imaged master lead end; movement controlling means coupled to said sheet transfer means and to said cylinder for controlling relative movement of said sheet transfer means and said clamp on said cylinder toward each other to bring the sheet end into proximity with said clamp on said cylinder; said movement controlling means including a selectively operable stop for holding said cylinder with said clamp ready to move, said selectively operable stop including a first cam member for defining a first camming surface, a cam follower riding on said first camming surface, and a selectively operable lever having a second camming surface for controlling engagement of said cam follower with said first camming surface, said first camming surface having a portion shaped to provide sufficient resistive force to relative movement of said cam follower over said first camming surface so that said cylinder is held in a positive stop position; means for operating said lever to release said cylinder when said transfer means brings the sheet lead end toward said cylinder so that subsequent relative movement between said cylinder and said transfer means brings the master sheet lead end adjacent said clamp to be pneumatically drawn against it, and means for feeding a reproduction sheet into contact with the imaged master on the cylinder to make a selectable number of reproductions.
 16. The combination of claim 15 wherein said second camming surface is provided with a first camming portion operative to move said cam follower out of engagement with said first camming surface portion providing said resistive force to relative movement.
 17. The combination of claim 16 wherein said second camming surface is provided with a second camming portion operative to move said cam follower to a lock out position and prevent accidental engagement of said cam follower and said first camming surface. 